ABU DHABI – Arman Tsarukyan will face Neiman Gracie in a catchweight cross‑over bout at the inaugural Real American Freestyle Abu Dhabi, scheduled for Etihad Arena on Yas Island on 14 November. The contest is among five new additions to the Middle East’s first RAF event.
The card also features Kyle Dake defending his cruiserweight title against Alp Arslan Begenjov, Kennedy Blades protecting her women’s middleweight belt versus Bella Mir, Zabit Magomedsharipov meeting Giga Chikadze in a welterweight cross‑over, and Jordan Burroughs taking on Azamat Nurykau at middleweight.
Tsarukyan, the UFC’s No. 1 lightweight contender, holds an 11‑2 UFC record and a 7‑1 RAF mark, achieving five technical falls. Gracie, a three‑time BJJ world bronze medallist, sports a 13‑6 professional MMA record. Their bout will be contested under freestyle wrestling rules.
Dake remains unbeaten in six RAF appearances. A two‑time Olympic bronze medallist and four‑time world champion, he is the only wrestler to capture NCAA titles in four weight classes. Challenger Begenjov is a U20 world champion, three‑time Asian U23 medallist, and 2026 senior Asian bronze medallist.
Blades, the reigning RAF middleweight champion, has posted six technical falls without conceding a point. Her résumé includes a 2024 Olympic silver, 2025 World bronze, and U23 World silver. She will defend her title against Bella Mir, a 2026 NCAA champion, U23 world team member, and professional MMA fighter with a 4‑1 record.
Magomedsharipov brings an 18‑1 MMA record to RAF, including a 6‑0 UFC streak and a 14‑fight win run. Chikadze is an experienced MMA featherweight and kickboxer, holding two world kickboxing titles and multiple world and European karate championships.
Burroughs and Nurykau will renew their rivalry from the 2019 World Championships, where the American won 11‑10. Nurykau is a European Championships bronze medallist who has appeared in seven world championships, reaching the bronze‑medal match four times.
The inaugural RAF Abu Dhabi marks the start of a five‑year partnership among RAF, Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism, and the UAE Wrestling Federation. It follows international RAF events in Tbilisi, Georgia, and Moscow, Russia, expanding the organisation’s global professional wrestling platform.
Also Read
- What to know about ‘NAZA,’ a documentary that looks at Israeli war technology
- Russian Airstrikes on Zaporizhzhia Kill Eight, Including Three Children, as Diplomatic Efforts to End War Continue
- DNA Fingerprinting Safeguards Malaysia’s Migrating Green Turtles from Poaching Threats
- US, European and Ukrainian Officials Hold Constructive Talks in Miami on War‑Ending Plan
